A White Road

Dedicated to Olivia Clair Manning

Sometimes the world turns to grey, and we can’t see past the gloom.

Barely anything shines for long, and for light there’s little room.

The past seems somewhat shadowy and the future sombre too.

The present is like an endless tunnel that we have to trundle through.

Looking in the mirror, not much seems worthy of praise.

Try to conjure up something positive, and it’s hard to find a single phrase.

Paths that once were straight and true, now seem to go the wrong way.

And feet that once trod a road well planned, have suddenly gone astray.

Once again the cliche sayings are promptly set before us.

People on all sides chant them like an old repetitive chorus:

‘There’s a silver lining on every cloud, and a light at the tunnels’ end.’

You ask them where they’re to be found, they say ‘just around the bend’.

But often it is not that easy, to discover the real way out.

Our own thoughts and feelings leave us even more in doubt.

Therefore we must take the plunge and look at ourselves well.

To find out what is truly wrong and discover what the sayings tell.

Often when we look inside, everything seems dull and bland.

And we tend to miss the treasures hidden deep under the sand.

We point out all the defects, and criticise every fault.

Not realising that we’re grinding ourselves to a halt.

Everyone around us just seems so much better off.

And when they try to convince us otherwise, all we do is scoff.

We end up picking all the problems and ignoring all the rights.

And so we deepen all the shadows and forget about highlights.

So what happened to the things we ignored, the things that we forgot?

If we just leave them there, then they will begin to rot.

What’s the use of having IQ, when there’s no EQ behind it?

No point in being completely smart if you’re as apathetic as a bandit.

What use is there in talent, when there’s not appreciation?

Even the best performer can’t give himself a big ovation.

Why be rich and famous, if you have no one with whom to share?

Even those in high places need friends to be with them there.

And so when life appears to treat you badly, and everything is down.

We must look at all these qualities to make a smile and raise the frown.

When you focus on them, they are often as sweet as candy.

They can sometimes be hard to find, but that’s where friends are handy.

If anyone can be totally honest with you, it will be them.

So don’t push them away when they tell you parts of you are a gem.

All the good things about you they know better than any.

So even if you just see few, they will still see many.

In the end, life is just one long bumpy hilly journey.

And at times it can feel just as though you’re caught in a tourney.

Then you have to fight the dark black shadows of the night.

So that the right wins out and you can reemerge into the light.

There may be times when you feel like thinking you just don’t belong.

But then you have to convince yourself that that is only wrong.

Throughout all time there’ll only be just one of you, just one.

And no matter what, there’s always a place for you under this sun.